Banchero, Mosley, Magic React to Devastating Playoff Defeat before Shifting to Game 7

Twenty three consecutive missed shots, the most shots missed in a row in a playoff game ever recorded in the play-by-play era, since 1997-98, via Jorge Sedano and ESPN Research.

That's 45 minutes of real life that Magic fans spent staring at their TV waiting for the bleeding to stop.

Orlando shot 4-37 in the second half, totaling 19 points, featuring 11 points in the third quarter that somehow got even worse in the fourth quarter with 8 points.

The Magic just went 45 min of real time between made baskets (8:46 ET to 9:31 ET)

Magic: 23 consecutive missed FGA, the most consecutive missed shots by any team in a playoff game in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98).

Only 2 other teams missed 20+
•2001 Kings: 22 straight…
— Jorge Sedano (@Sedano) May 2, 2026

How did the Magic go from a commanding first half lead to a second half no show?

The drive-and-kick ball-movement and open shot making stalled out, and Orlando unfortunately fell back on old habits – leaning on tough shot making and one-on-one matchup hunting rather than team-first shot creation.

To Detroit's credit, the Pistons turned up the defensive intensity at halftime with their season on the line behind the incredible outburst of energy from defensive linchpin Ausar Thompson and reserve Paul Reed.

After Game 6, I asked Magic coach Jamahl Mosley how he handles adjustments during a bad rut like tonight versus learning from them for next game, and if he expects any major changes for Game 7:

 I think Detroit did a helluva job.

They turned up the heat, they sped us up, they got us out of our sets early.

As we are getting downhill, they are collapsing, we are spraying, we did have some early, easy looks.  

But again, the ability to do it in the first half, is something you can lean your hat on a little bit, the defensive mentality, the offensive sharing the basketball, moving it, the shotmaking – so, you are somewhere in the middle.

And I think that is something we have to register and understand, we are somewhere in the middle, that you can go and figure out a way to get Game 7 in Detroit.
Jamahl Mosley

Desmond Bane commented on what shifted in the second half that led to the loss, "I think they were just playing more desperate than us, playing harder than us..."

Banchero shared what he thinks needs to happen on the court to stop these long scoring droughts,"I think you've just got to find a way to get a basket. Whether it's me, whether it's des, whoever, you know, trying to just figure out a way for us to get a good shot..."

I asked can Paolo how he can help stabilize the offense when the team gets in a rut like tonight to get back to steady actions and good ball movement to not get trapped into a tough shot making contest:

It is the playoffs.  

And this series has been a slugfest.  

So, I wish I had some complex answer as to what action or whatever ball movement, but sometimes the game just goes that way.  

Unfortunately, we had a very bad drought tonight, and you just got to wipe it off and get ready for Game 7.

At this point, there is no point in dwelling and thinking about what could have went our way, it did not go our way tonight.
Paolo Banchero

I asked Paolo Banchero how he can stabilize the Magic’s offense with ball movement during bad runs:

“It’s the Playoffs…

This series has been a slugfest⁰⁰So, I wish I had some complex answer… what action or whatever ball movement, but sometimes the game just goes that way…” pic.twitter.com/IjoYVz1Niz
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) May 2, 2026

Orlando will have to dig deep, forget the bad, remember the good, and ride into Detroit for Game 7 like nothing ever happened.

Learn from your mistakes, don't fall into the same tendencies that let you lose a 20pt halftime lead, and get back to driving and kicking with paint-and-spray ball movement that cultivates the offense's best shots.

The Magic have one shot left to fix everything, to totally redeem themselves, and the season.

They worked hard to overcome the odds, dished out their own upsets to prove to the world they belonged here in the Playoffs; now's the time to show what this team has been capable of since before the season, only you no longer have the privelege of being able to close out the series at home, now you're back where you started, facing the odds, with all the pressure in the world, needing to defy expectations once again with their backs against the wall.

Will Orlando come out from under this pressure with a playoff jewel, or crushed to dust?

Tune in Sunday afternoon for the best two words in sports to find out – Game 7.

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